


A Battle Won

by MarvelousMenagerie (HiddenOne)



Series: the flap of a flutter-bat's wings [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: ...for now, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, From the Agni Kai, Gen, POV Iroh (Avatar), Protective Iroh (Avatar), Zuko is saved, and the scar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 09:46:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28561509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiddenOne/pseuds/MarvelousMenagerie
Summary: When Zuko speaks out in the War Room at thirteen, Iroh doesn't stay silent.“I brought Prince Zuko into the War Room before he was ready to hear such truth, and I am to blame for his disrespect.”It's a risk. He has no desire to challenge his brother for the throne, only to spare his nephew the shame of a poor Agni Kai. But he has gambled before, and he is used to winning.
Relationships: Iroh & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: the flap of a flutter-bat's wings [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2092656
Comments: 9
Kudos: 72





	A Battle Won

**Author's Note:**

> First attempt at an ATLA fic! Hopefully I do Iroh justice.

“But the forty-first is entirely new recruits. How do you expect them to defeat a powerful Earth Kingdom battalion?”

“I don’t.” 

General Xou’s plan had been obvious before he’d reached for the appropriate marker. When the pawn of the forty-first division moved across the map to its appointed slaughter, Iroh’s heart had accepted the blow.

The flames of the funeral pyres would stretch to the sky for days. Saddle bags and messenger hawks would be weighed down with the many letters, breaking news to the families back home in the Fire Nation. The many sons, the many daughters, the many husbands and wives and sisters and brothers that would die on that battlefield for nothing more than a distraction tactic. 

Unfortunately, such treachery would work. Their losses would be great, but it would win the battle. There was nothing Iroh could do to save the newly enlisted troops other than offer his prayers. 

“They’ll be used as a distraction while we mount an attack on the rear,” Xou explained, smug with his confidence, though Iroh found the words and tone unnecessary. “What better to use as bait than fresh meat?”

Next to him, Zuko leapt to his feet. “You can’t sacrifice an entire division like that! Those soldiers love and defend our nation. How can you betray them?”

Iroh dared not close his eyes even as his heart pounded in his chest. He dared not show his alarm on his face, dared not react at all in case not every eye was pointed at Zuko. 

Regret swept through him, so familiar in these recent years. He shouldn’t have brought Zuko into this meeting. The boy could not hold his tongue, not when wrongness was presented like the general’s plan. Zuko was not yet ready to hear the truths that drove war, and he should’ve stood against his nephew’s pleas to learn. He had let Zuko’s heart sway him, a boy’s desire to be a good leader. It was that heart that would make Zuko a great Fire Lord someday - a Fire Lord the world desperately needed in place of his brother. 

If Iroh could help him live that long.

The fire that separated Ozai’s dais from the rest of the room erupted into a towering blaze. 

Iroh let the flames catch his attention along with everyone else. His brother was nothing more than a shadowy figure through the flames, a simple fear tactic that was quite effective. The generals stilled, waiting for the Fire Lord’s response, and Zuko shifted nervously. 

_See his loyalty to our nation_ , Iroh silently pleaded to his brother’s silhouette. _Impetuous yes, but only thirteen. See his loyalty, see his heart -_

“Your challenge of my general is an act of complete disrespect.” Ozai’s voice whipped through the flames that still crackled with his power. “There is only one resolution.” 

“Agni Kai.” 

The whisper circled the room, though Iroh couldn’t tell where it originated. Fury roared within him with dragon-strength. An Agni Kai at thirteen, when his brother knew how Zuko struggled in training? The fire duel would be humiliation at best. At worst - death was an acceptable endpoint for Agni Kai, as sometimes honor required. It would not be called murder. 

Perhaps that was the point. Ozai had everything he wanted in his second born, so what use did he have for his son? Zuko was only in Azula’s way - just as Iroh had been in Ozai’s throughout his life. Patience wasn’t an attribute that Iroh would say his brother held, even though the strike for the throne had come much later in their lives than this one was. 

Though never let it be said that Ozai couldn’t be opportunistic. 

After all, Ozai had hidden his ambitions and jealousies better than Azula did. Even Iroh had never realized the depths of what his brother was capable of until he’d been inducted into the White Lotus and heard some of their suspicions around their father Azulon’s death. 

But for Ozai to help Azula, when everything Iroh knew of his brother said that Ozai would require that blow to come from Azula herself? 

Zuko’s gaze shifted to the general, and the boy’s chin lifted up. “I am not afraid.”

But Iroh was. 

The Ozai he knew would’ve spit out insults and banished Zuko from the room. 

This threat of Agni Kai over something so trivial - he couldn’t see what his brother stood to gain. It smelled like a trap, one he didn’t yet know the edges of. 

Piandao’s gaze, all the more judgemental for how passive it was, as the White Lotus attempted to inform Iroh about his own family filled his mind. 

Iroh shook his head. He wasn’t wrong. There was no benefit from this. Humiliation for his nephew, yes. Ozai had never spared the boy that. But death? No. There was no purpose when no doubt Ozai would require Azula to strike that blow herself to prove herself the true heir. 

“An Agni Kai must be fought. Midday,” Ozai commanded from behind the flames. 

A midday duel in which firebenders were at the height of their power. 

What was Ozai scheming?

General Xou nodded his acceptance, and perhaps if Zuko was only to fight the general then - but no. An act of complete disrespect in the War Room of the Fire Lord was an act of disrespect against the Fire Lord himself. 

Iroh stared into his brother’s flames, wondering. Did anyone else in the room realize what was truly happening? 

Zuko nodded, casting an evaluating glance at the general. “I accept.”

“No.” His voice came out hard and firm, the order it shouldn’t be; he gave up the right to command in his room years ago. 

Now, he was simply a failed general and a childless widower. No one was meant to remember the power the Dragon of the West once held, and no one was meant to see the strength of the inner fire that still burned. He’d worked hard on his image of a fat, lazy man who cared for nothing but tea and trinkets.

He stood without grace, projecting the image of an old, burnt out husk of a man, and bowed to the room. 

“I brought Prince Zuko into the War Room before he was ready to hear such truth, and I am to blame for his disrespect.”

General Xou paled, not sensing the true forces at work. Iroh prayed it was a similar case for the rest of the room.

A risk, this gamble. Better for Zuko to be taught humility in an Agni Kai than for Iroh to challenge his brother to the Dragon Throne - a throne he didn’t want in an act that would only throw the world farther out of balance.

His destiny wasn’t to sit on that throne. The White Lotus hadn’t been able to budge him on this. The throne had taken enough from him. 

_Lu Ten, I miss you_.

Iroh wouldn’t move for the throne, and he couldn’t be seen as a threat. He was most useful here, listening and crafting strategies to dull the strikes of his brother’s attacks. Helping restore balance to the world, or at least what the White Lotus could achieve without an Avatar. 

Zuko needed to reap his consequences. There was more at stake here than his nephew’s pride, and Ozai couldn’t know that Iroh stood against him. 

Yet there was pain that a parent should wish to spare their child - or an uncle their nephew. A poor display of firebending in front of the entire court, when all knew about Azula’s skills, would cast a long shadow of shame over Zuko. When the time came, support would rally for Azula, not Zuko. 

He’d never known Ozai to be one for long-term strategy, but perhaps his brother could surprise him. 

Zuko whirled to him, his eyes wide and shocked. “Uncle, it’s not your fault -”

Iroh turned his face away, his heart aching. “Nephew, you dishonor me by continuing to speak despite my instructions.” 

Humiliation could be given in multiple forms. Perhaps this was what Ozai intended - for _Iroh_ to be the one to deal it, to pick at their bond Ozai had no need to be envious of. Of all his nephew’s faults, Iroh thought Zuko’s biggest was the blind love for his father. 

“I know you told me to be quiet,” Zuko said. “I can take responsibility for my own actions. I’m not afraid of the -”

“His disrespect is on me, and I will take the blame.” Iroh looked to General Xou, still pale, rather than at his brother still hiding behind flames. 

He wished his brother to see no challenge, no threat to his authority. He was only a kindly uncle, wishing to spare his nephew a public battle with a Master firebender. 

Hopefully Zuko’s face cast to the ground in shame as he knelt again, treated as a child in this circle of top generals, was enough to satisfy Ozai. 

“Enough of this.” Ozai’s voice cracked like a whip. “You shouldn’t have brought him if he can’t hold his insolent tongue.”

Iroh offered a deep and respectful bow in apology.

“Get him out of my sight.” 

Relief swept through him and he bowed again, this time in gratitude. There was the Ozai he knew. 

Zuko froze, face stricken and fists clenched in his lap. When Iroh put a hand on his shoulder, he stumbled to his feet. He remembered to bow to the Fire Lord, then the generals.

Then he fled. 

As the boom of the door closing echoed through the room, Iroh clasped his hands around his bulging stomach and leaned back to emphasize the curve. Too many practiced firebending with power coming from the muscles rather than from the breath, and assumed a fat figure to have little strength. 

It would be their mistake, but not one Iroh intended to show them soon. 

“About that Agni Kai?” he asked with a harmless smile. “I’m afraid it’s been many years since I’ve been in fighting shape and these old bones prefer their rest, but I must make amends for my nephew’s dishonor.” 

Silence reigned, the flames silent as they danced and waved between them and the Fire Lord. 

General Xou gave him a short bow, one of high rank to a royal family member. “General Iroh, it would honor me to have your input in this plan. 

“I will do my best to offer insight,” Iroh agreed with a nod.

A victory, a gamble successfully made. The White Lotus wouldn’t have been pleased that he’d risked the need to shift tiles around the board - much more rapidly than they’d planned, just to spare his nephew from Ozai’s machinations - but then they’d never know. 

Besides, the majority of their plans needed Zuko sitting on that throne someday, and today’s move made that future task less difficult. 

Iroh settled back into place and gave the map of the Earth Kingdom a thoughtful frown. “How do you plan to hide the battalion for the rear attack?”

Perhaps he could find a way to save the forty-first division today as well. 

**Author's Note:**

> I've put this into a series in case I want to continue with the fallout of this - which hopefully would be chock full of Zuko angst! If you're interested, feel free to subscribe <3


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